Safety-valve for gas pipes.



PATENTED JULY 3,1906.

A. W. JENCZBWSKY. SAFETY VALVE FOR GAS PIPES.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1905.

UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

SAFETY-VALVE FOR GAS-PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed May 10.1905. Serial No. 259-815.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH W. J ENOZEW- SKY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafety-Valves for Gas-Pipes; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automaticallyacting or self-closingsafety-valve intended to be applied to a supply-pipe forilluminating-gas at a point within a house or building and adapted toclose the pipe against the passage of gas from the main in case a fireoccurs within said house or building.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointedout in the appended claims.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide the gas-supply pipewithin the cellar or basement of the building, between the gas meter andthe point where the pipe enters the building, with a valve having amovable part or closure, together with means for holding the valvenormally in its open position embracing an easily-ruptured supportingmember or element and a mass or cartridge of explosive materialinterposed between the valve-closure and an opposing part of the wall ofthe valve-casing, which latter is made relatively thin, so that heat towhich the exterior of the valve-casing may be subjected may be readilyconducted to the explosive, with the result of igniting the same, theexplosion resulting from the ignition serving to drive the valve-pluginto its seat and close the valve.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a viewin'central longitudinal section of a valve embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a horizontal section thereof, taken upon line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a view in section of the explosive cartridge separated from the otherparts.

As shown in the drawings, A indicates a pipe leading from a gas-main, Aa pipe leading to a meter or toward the distributingpipes of thebuilding, and B a valvecasing which connects the pipes A and A. Saidvalve-casing B has a transversely-arranged valve-chamber B, the lowerpart of which is shaped to constitute a tapered valve-seat.

In said valve-seat are formed lateral ports I) l), which communicatewith the pipes Aand A.

C is a valve-plug of conical form, which is movable endwise in thevalve-chamber and is adapted to fit within the lower conical part of thevalve-chamber B in such manner as to close the ports I) b or to belifted into the upper part of said valve-chamber.

D is a cap which closes the top of the valvechamber and is preferablyconnected with the valvecasing by a screw-threaded connection.

I is a screw-cap which closes the lower end of the valve-chamber.

Supporting means for holding the valveplug C in its elevated positionconsists of a loop a on the upper end of the plug, a loop E,

extending downwardly from the inner surface of the cap D, and a link F,which is engaged with the loops 0 and E. Said loop E is preferablyformed of a bent rod or wire, the ends of which are secured in andextend through the cap D and project above or outside of the same. Thelink F preferably consists of material which is destructible or adaptedto be softened by heat. Said loop may be made of lead or otherreadilyfusible metal, or it may be made of celluloid. If made ofcelluloid, it will be softened when exposed to heat, so that it will beno longer strong enough to support the plugs, while at ordinarytemperatures it is hard and strong.

G is an explosive cartridge interposed between the top of the plug C andcap D. Said cartridge when used in connection with the supporting meansof the kind illustrated is made of annular form, so that it may surroundthe link F, and is provided with an airtight casing or covering g, whichmay be made of celluloid or like waterproof material. As a convenientconstruction the top of the plug is made concave and the cap D convex,this shape in the parts affording a chamber for the cartridge havingrounded walls and giving a considerable area of contact between thecartridge and the cap D, which latter is made of relatively thinmaterial, so that heat from the exterior of the casing will be readilytransmitted to the cartridge.

When the valve-casing is subjected to .a high degree of heat, as willoccur when fire occurs in its immediate neighborhood,heat will betransmitted through the thin cap D to the cartridge G, with a result ofexploding the same and driving the plug C downwardly into contact withits seat, thereby closing the through and outside of the cap D insuresthe quick transmission of heat along the arms of said loop to the centerpart thereof, which is engaged with the link F, thereby making certainthe prompt action of the heat on the link,

with the result of melting it, if of fusible metal, or of softening thesame to the extent of permitting the easy rupture thereof if ofcelluloid.

As a further and separate improvement I provide in the valve-chamber B,between the openings 1) 7) and the upper part thereof, which containsthe plug C, a closing disk or diaphragm H, which is made of thincelluloid or other easily-destructible or breakable material and theedges of which enter a groove 6, formed in the wall of thevalve-chamber. The disk H being of thin and flexible material its marginmay be sprung into the groove 6 when the disk is pressed downwardly intothe valve-chamber from above. To make a tight joint between the edges ofthe said disk H and the casing, the groove 6 will be filled around orabove the edge of the disk with parafiin or like material. The disk H,inserted in the casing in the valve-chamber, as described, serves toseal the upper part of the chamber containing the plug 0 and thecartridge G against the entrance of gas, thereby preventing corrosion ofthe plug or injury to the cartridge which would result from the presenceof gas and accompanying moisture in the part of the valve-chamber. Thepart of the valve-chamber below the ports I) b is made deep enough topermit the accumulation therein of solids or liquids, which may enterthe valve without interfering with the dropping of the valve-plug to itsclosed position. The removable cap I affords access to the said lowerend of the valve-chamber for removing accumulations therefrom or cleaning the same without disturbing the valveplug and parts associatedtherewith.

I claim as my invention 1. A safety-valve for gas-pipes comprising avalve-casing, a movable valve-closure in said casing, means for holdingthe valveclosure in its open position, and an explosive mass orcartridge located within the cas ng in position to act upon thevalve-closure in a direction to effect the closing of the valve.

2. A safety-valve for gas-pipes comprising avalve-casing, a movablevalve-closure in said casing, means for holding the closure in its openposition embracing a member adapted to be weakened or destroyed by heat,and an explosive charge or cartridge located in the casing and adaptedto act upon the closure in a direction tothrow the same into its closedposition.

3. A safety-valve for gas-pipes comprising a valve-casing, a movablevalve-closure within the casing, a connection between the said closureand valve-casing for holding the closure open embracing a connectingmember adapted to be weakened or destroyed by heat, and an explosivecartridge of annular form surrounding said connecting member between thevalve-closure and a part of the outer wall of the valve-casing.

4. A safety-valve for gas-pipes comprising a valve-casing, a movablevalve-closure in said casing, and a breakable diaphragm interposedbetween the gas-passage through the casing and the part of the casing inwhich said closure is normally located.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of May, A. D. 1905.

ADOLPH W. J EN CZEWSKY.

